Safety device for power presses



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m ,Ca M75 Oct. 14 1924.

1,511,233 A. C. NICOLS SAFETY DEVICE FOR POWER PRESSES Filed Nov. 5, 1923 2 Sheats-Sheet 2 lFlam.

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/Nl/E/VO/ 6 m6 E @j @7 Patented Udc. i4, 19214,

' UNITED STATES ANDREW' C. NICOLS, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIQ.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR POV/'EB PRESSES.

Application filed November 3, 1928.

T 0 aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ANDREW C. NIooLs, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Power Presses, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety device for power presses. I have developed it as an accessory to a press for stamping, embossing and smooth plating leather and giving to the leather a proper condition of surface pre paring it for the manufacture of all classes of iinished leather products. In that association I shall show and describe it.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. I is a view in side elevation showing diagrammatically the parts of a. leather press and showing in detail the structure of the safety device applied thereto. It is essentially a view in elevation. A certain rail however is in part broken away and certain details are there shown in section. The plane of sec tion of this detail is indicated by the dotted line I-I, Fig. II. Fig. II is a vie.Y of the same assembly in side elevation. Fig. III is a vie-w similar to Fig. II, from which however certain operating parts are omitted, in order to show more clearly certain characteristics of some of the remaining parts.

The press consists essentially of a stationary member 2 whose nether horizontally ex tending face is the working face, and a movable member l which in the operation of the press reciprocates vertically beneath the stationary member 2, and whose upper face cooperates with the nether face of the stationary member 2 in the operation of pressing. The bite between these press members is indicated at a. At 3 is diagrammatically indicated base block or bed of the press. It is of course stationary. Block 2 is spaced at a sufficient interval above it, and block l is arranged between and reciprocates in the interval.

The movable member 1 carries a table 4. This table normally extends from the block on one side, and normally in the horizontal plane which is substantially coincident with the horizontal face of the block l.

This table 4 constitutes a rest for the work and, in the operation of the machine, an attendant places the leather to be pressed Serial No. 572,662.

upon the table 4, and while it is resting upon the table 4 and while those members are open and in preparation for the pressing action, he advances it upon the upper face of the block l and into the bite a between press members l and 2. is is particularly shown in Figure III this table 4 is advantageously hinged to the block l so that it may be swung out of the way when there is need. as' for instance when the machine is undergoing repair, or when the dies for press members i and 2 are being replaced.

The table 4 carries a guard rail 7 reciprocable approximately in a plane coincident with the plane of the extent of the table itself. To this end the guard rail 7 is conveniently borne upon rods 6, and these rods are extensible and retractible in guides or ways 5, conveniently formed upon the under side of table 4.

Means are provided to cause the guard rail 7 to be extended and retracted in alternation as the press members l and 2 close and open again.

To this end a lever or beam 8 is pivoted to swing on a suitable post 9 borne by the movable member i of the press. At one end this lever 8 is by bars l0 and il so linked to the movable block l and to the base block 3 that vert-ical reciprocation of the block l will effect swinging of the lever 8. It should be remarked that the lever 8 is pivoted on a horizontal axis. and swings in vertical. plane. The lever S is at its opposite end linked to the rod 6, and the arrangement is such that as the block '1 moves up and down, and as the lever 8 swings, the rod 6 will be shifted in the slideway 5 and the guard rail 7 will be alternately extended and retracted.

Figure II shows in full lines the member l in inactive or open position. and the guard 7 retracted, and it indicates in dotted lines the member l in active and raised position, and the guard rail 7 extended. The positions of the actuating means are also in alternate positions clearly indicated and may readily be followed.

It remains to be said that the link l2 by which the lever 8 is connected with the rod 6 is connected b v a pivotpin 13 which manifestly may be made removable. and further that the rod 6 is provided with an extended plate 14, in which there is a succession of holes for the pivot pin. By making pivotal connection through one or another of these holes the position of the guard rail 'i' may be ments of the press.

adjusted, and the effective range of its eX- tension correspondingly adjusted.

The feature of a removable pivot pin is advantageous, in that it allows for the swinging of the table out of the way, as I have suggested in Fig. HI, when it is desired to have access to the press parts for such purposes as those indicated.

l have in the foregoing specification spoken of the rod 6, the lever 8 and the interconnecting parts in the singular. As is clearly indicated in Figure I these parts will ordinarily be duplicated on either` side of the machine, in order to insure smoothness of operation.

While l do not mean to limit myself to particular proportions it ordinarily will be true in the use of this machine that asl the attendant stands by the machine, the plane in which the pressing is effected is with respectto him approximately chest-high.

vThe dimensions of the table t and the range of extension of the guard rail 7 are such that in case he should be negligent, the closing of. the press members effecting eX- tension of the guard rail will cause the guard rail to strike him on the chest, and the range will be such that the distance at which the extended guard rail is remote from the meeting'v faces of the press will be approximately as great as the length of the attendants arm'. With the use of the invention so adjusted then it becomes practically impossible for the workman through carelessness to have his hand caught between the closing members of the press, and that of course is the end desired.

It will be observed of this safety device that it is simple in construction and therefore easily maintained' in order and in good repair` that in operation there is no lost motion, there are no heavy strains, but the device functions with a minimum expenditure of power, and an expenditure which is relaiti'vely insignificant. There is no upward thrust of heavy parts suoli as might throw undue heavy strain upon the essential ele- The presence of the table is itself a feature of safety, in that it makes it impossible for the operator, even in which the pressing operation is accom-V plished. It leaves the machinev free andi un"-v encumbered to view at this point, and leaves the machine the more accessible for repairs,`

for the changing of dies, etc. The folding of the table out of the way has been mentioned, and also the capacity of the safety device for adjustment, these being features .vhieh adapt it particularly'to its intended use.

l claim `as my invention:

l. In a power press including two members reciprocable one relatively to the other in vertical direction to and from a pla-neef meeting, a table hinged to one'of saidmembers and: adapted to befswung from an active position of horizontal extension to* anl inactive and remote position, a guard ra-il borne by said table and extensible and retractible in the general plane of table` ezi-L tent, and means for effecting extension and retraction of said guard rail as th'e'sa'id press members reciproca-te, saidt means engaging the guard rail" by a separable pivot engage;Y ment.

2. ln a power press the combination of ANDREW" e. Nrconsf.

Witnesses: Y

A. A. SNYDER, Q. M. HooHoDEL. 

